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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  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. bark — to shout
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pitch — completely
  6. board — to get on
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rest — a break
  18. season — in sport
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bark — of a tree
  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