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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. bark — to shout
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. snap — to click
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. saw — the tool
  10. swing — music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. swing — in golf
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mug — a cup
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mug — a face
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. board — to get on
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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