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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. net — in sport
  3. board — a committee
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. net — for catching
  6. foot — a measure
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. net — after costs
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bark — to shout
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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