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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. firm — steady
  5. tube — the underground
  6. club — a group
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. club — for golf
  9. firm — decided
  10. board — a committee
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. board — to get on
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tube — a container
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. firm — a company
  23. pound — a weight
  24. club — for dancing

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