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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
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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 · board · hide · game · perch · sharp · charge · leaves

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bark — to shout
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. charge — in control
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. board — a committee
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. charge — a price
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. charge — electricity
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. game — wild animals
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — to get on
  20. game — a match
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. sharp — clever

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