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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.

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: leaves · tube · pop · board · drill · squash · cabinet · bark

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pop — to visit
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pop — music
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. board — a committee
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. board — to get on
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. tube — a container
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bark — to shout
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pop — soda
  23. drill — army training
  24. leaves — of a tree

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