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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. club — a group
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. firm — a company
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. firm — decided
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ball — a dance
  18. board — a committee
  19. club — for golf
  20. firm — steady
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. board — to get on
  24. ball — a great time

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