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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 120 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mark — a trace
  3. charge — in control
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. board — a committee
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ground — a position
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — a price
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bark — to shout
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ground — crushed
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. temple — side of the head

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