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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 116 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. charge — in control
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. board — to get on
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. dip — to sink
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. charge — a price
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rush — hurry
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — a committee
  19. charge — electricity
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. degree — temperature
  24. dip — to dunk

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