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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: fine · bark · dip · stand · fork · roll · ground · drill

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stand — to bear
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. drill — a practice
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bark — to shout
  12. ground — a position
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. drill — army training
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. drill — the tool
  20. roll — a list
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. stand — for spectators

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