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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. snap — to click
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pop — music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pop — soda
  18. pound — a weight
  19. board — to get on
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pound — to hit hard

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