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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. board — to get on
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. track — a song
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fork — in a road
  15. tube — the underground
  16. degree — an amount
  17. board — a committee
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. track — to keep track
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. tube — a container
  23. track — a path
  24. nail — for a hammer

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