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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. bark — of a tree
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. object — an aim
  5. ground — the earth
  6. tube — a container
  7. ground — crushed
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ground — a position
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — the underground
  16. board — a committee
  17. object — a thing
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stock — shares
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — to protest
  23. bark — to shout
  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