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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. board — a committee
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. board — to get on
  10. staff — employees
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. sharp — clever
  13. staff — a stick
  14. kick — in football
  15. staff — employees
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. hand — help

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