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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. board — to get on
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fall — to drop
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. key — for a lock
  12. squash — the sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. key — in music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. board — a committee
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fall — the season
  21. bark — to shout
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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