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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pitch — completely
  6. firm — steady
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. club — for dancing
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. board — a committee
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. club — for golf
  16. bark — to shout
  17. club — a group
  18. firm — decided
  19. board — to get on
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. firm — a company

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