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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. board — to get on
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bass — the fish
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bear — the animal
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. branch — a division
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bass — low music
  23. mouse — the animal
  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