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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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. shower — rain
  3. bark — to shout
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. board — to get on
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mark — a trace
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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