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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. shower — rain
  5. board — to get on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. board — a committee
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wake — a trail
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bark — to shout
  22. shower — to wash
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fine — all right

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