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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. suit — to fit
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. board — a committee
  8. face — to point toward
  9. suit — clothes
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rash — hasty
  15. board — to get on
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pound — a weight
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — in cards
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. season — of the year

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