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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. race — the arms race
  3. board — a committee
  4. court — of a king
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. board — to get on
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bass — low music
  9. court — of law
  10. race — a contest
  11. swing — to play on
  12. court — for sport
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. key — in music
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bass — the fish
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cap — of ice
  21. race — humankind
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. key — the most important part

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