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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bark — to shout
  9. date — the fruit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. board — to get on
  12. lie — to recline
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — a committee
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. bank — of a river
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. drill — the tool

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