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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. board — a committee
  6. can — to be able to
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bark — to shout
  11. lie — to recline
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. vault — a safe
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. can — a tin
  18. mark — a trace
  19. can — a tin
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — a grade
  22. press — to push
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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