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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — there
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. board — to get on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — a committee
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cell — in biology
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. present — a gift
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cell — a phone

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