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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cue — a signal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. cue — for pool
  10. board — a committee
  11. ball — a dance
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ball — a great time
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. sharp — clever

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