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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · hide · face · board · racket · perch · land · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. board — a committee
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. land — a country
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. perch — the fish
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — an aim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — to protest
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. land — ground
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. face — to point toward
  23. land — to come down
  24. perch — for a bird

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