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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bark — to shout
  3. board — a committee
  4. face — part of the head
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. face — to point toward
  13. board — to get on
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. prune — to trim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. face — to confront
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. board — a flat piece

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