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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. face — part of the head
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rock — music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rock — a stone
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. board — to get on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. board — a committee
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fall — the season

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