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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. staff — employees
  24. mine — for digging

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