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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — a safe
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. row — to paddle
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bound — tied together
  16. row — a line
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bound — certain
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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