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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pit — in a race
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. board — a committee
  7. kick — in football
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. roll — a list
  13. board — to get on
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. arm — part of the body

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