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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. present — the time now
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. board — to get on
  10. fine — all right
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. present — there
  18. fine — high quality
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. board — a committee
  23. present — a gift
  24. row — a line

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