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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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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 · stick · rock · mug · board · rush · pitch · saw

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rock — music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. board — to get on
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. board — a committee

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