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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.

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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: bark · staff · root · wave · fork · coach · pit · drill

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. drill — army training
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. root — the cause
  11. bark — to shout
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. root — of a word
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. staff — employees
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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