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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a great time
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. current — happening now
  6. cap — of ice
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. current — electric
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. cap — a lid
  13. current — of water
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. board — to get on
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ball — a dance

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