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

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. root — of a word
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. root — the cause
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. board — to get on
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. root — of a plant

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