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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. charge — in control
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bore — to tire
  13. net — in sport
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. net — after costs
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bulb — for light
  18. charge — a price
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bore — to drill
  21. board — to get on
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. charge — electricity
  24. board — a committee

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