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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. swing — music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. snap — to click
  9. swing — in golf
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bark — to shout
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. swing — to play on
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bore — to drill
  24. board — a committee

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