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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. club — a group
  3. board — a committee
  4. club — for golf
  5. squash — to crush
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. board — to get on
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. branch — a division
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. deal — to handle
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. squash — the sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. club — for dancing

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