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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. board — a committee
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. court — of law
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pop — music
  11. cap — a hat
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bore — to tire
  14. board — to get on
  15. court — of a king
  16. pop — soda
  17. cap — of ice
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bore — to drill
  21. court — for sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bark — of a tree

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