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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. race — the arms race
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. net — after costs
  11. board — to get on
  12. fall — the season
  13. race — a contest
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. race — humankind
  24. leaves — lets stay

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