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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 120 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mug — a face
  6. bass — low music
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. board — a committee
  11. chip — for betting
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bound — certain
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bound — tied together
  23. board — to get on
  24. dip — to dunk

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