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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. board — a committee
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — to get on
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bat — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mug — a face
  23. can — a tin
  24. mug — to rob

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