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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. board — to get on
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pit — a hole
  12. field — for sport
  13. ground — a position
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. chip — for betting
  16. field — farmland
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chip — to eat
  19. field — a subject
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. board — a committee
  24. fan — a supporter

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