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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 120 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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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: rush · arm · club · land · leaves · bark · fork · current

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. current — of water
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. current — happening now
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bark — to shout
  12. land — to come down
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. current — electric
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. rush — hurry
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. club — a group
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. club — for golf
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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