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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. board — a committee
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — to shout
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cap — a hat
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cap — a lid
  24. board — to get on

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