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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. board — to get on
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. season — in sport
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stock — goods
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stock — shares
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. object — to protest
  17. season — of the year
  18. object — a thing
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bark — to shout
  23. board — a committee
  24. object — an aim

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