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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. root — of a word
  3. bark — to shout
  4. root — of a plant
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. root — the cause
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. charge — a price
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. charge — electricity
  22. prune — to trim
  23. board — a committee
  24. charge — in control

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