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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · suit · lean · fork · wake · bark · mate · cap

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cap — a lid
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mate — a friend
  8. cap — of ice
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lean — thin
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cap — a hat
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com