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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. drill — a practice
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. date — the fruit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bark — to shout
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. drill — the tool
  17. board — a committee
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. drill — army training

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