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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. club — a group
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for dancing
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bark — to shout
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. club — for golf
  19. board — a committee
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. stand — for spectators

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