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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. mate — a friend
  3. charge — electricity
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. charge — in control
  7. board — a committee
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. kick — in football
  13. mate — to breed
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bark — to shout
  17. vault — a safe
  18. charge — a price
  19. game — a match
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mate — a partner
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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