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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. roll — a list
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. board — a committee
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. suit — in cards
  13. roll — a cake
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — clothes
  19. last — final
  20. board — to get on
  21. rush — hurry
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chip — to eat

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