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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — to get on
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. object — an aim
  7. can — to be able to
  8. hand — help
  9. bark — to shout
  10. can — a tin
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rest — a break
  15. object — to protest
  16. board — a committee
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. object — a thing
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rest — what's left

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