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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. drill — the tool
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. board — to get on
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — to fit
  17. perch — the fish
  18. drill — army training
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rash — a series
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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