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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. board — a committee
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bark — to shout
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. present — there
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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