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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. firm — steady
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bark — to shout
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. firm — decided
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — a tin
  12. file — a tool
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. file — a document
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pop — soda
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — a short time
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. can — to be able to
  23. spell — magic
  24. firm — a company

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