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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. present — there
  4. board — to get on
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. file — a document
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. file — a tool
  13. present — the time now
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — a committee
  19. present — a gift
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. file — a line of people
  24. coach — a trainer

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