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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. date — the fruit
  6. board — to get on
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. present — there
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. tube — the underground
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. present — the time now
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. board — a committee
  19. present — a gift
  20. tube — a container
  21. band — a ring
  22. bark — to shout
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. band — a rubber band

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