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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. file — a tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wake — a trail
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. file — a line of people
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. file — a document
  23. board — to get on
  24. rush — hurry

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