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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. board — to get on
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mate — a partner
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mate — to breed
  16. fine — all right
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — to trim
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. straw — dry grass

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