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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 124 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mug — a face
  4. net — after costs
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bass — the fish
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — electricity
  10. board — a committee
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bass — low music
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. mug — a cup
  16. charge — a price
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bark — to shout
  24. board — to get on

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