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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. cell — in biology
  6. board — to get on
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — a group
  11. cell — a phone
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. club — for golf
  15. staff — employees
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. board — a committee
  20. staff — employees
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bark — to shout

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