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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. board — to get on
  4. rule — a law
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wound — an injury
  14. rule — government
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bark — of a tree

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