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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mine — for digging
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. board — a committee
  19. bound — certain
  20. fine — all right
  21. deal — to handle
  22. board — to get on
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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