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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. spring — the season
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — soda
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spring — of water
  17. pop — music
  18. pass — a permit

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