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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. deal — to handle
  3. board — to get on
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. court — for sport
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. board — a committee
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. court — of law
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. court — of a king

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