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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. board — a committee
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bat — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mug — a cup
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — electricity
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. board — to get on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — in control
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. object — a thing
  22. charge — a price
  23. object — an aim
  24. bowl — to roll

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