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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. prune — to trim
  10. board — a committee
  11. field — farmland
  12. bark — to shout
  13. field — a subject
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. field — for sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — to trim

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