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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stock — goods
  7. object — an aim
  8. drill — army training
  9. board — a committee
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. object — a thing
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. press — a publisher
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stock — shares
  17. bass — low music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — to get on
  20. bass — the fish
  21. press — newspapers
  22. object — to protest
  23. press — to push
  24. temple — side of the head

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