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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: leaves · suit · fork · pass · firm · bark · tear · club

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bark — to shout
  7. firm — a company
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. firm — decided
  11. club — for golf
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fork — in a road
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. firm — steady

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