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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bark — to shout
  3. current — happening now
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. board — a committee
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. scale — in music
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. board — to get on
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. scale — size or range
  21. current — electric
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. current — of water

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