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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.

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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: rush · ball · present · tube · board · calf · bark · court

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. present — there
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. court — of law
  6. ball — a dance
  7. court — of a king
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. court — for sport
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. board — to get on
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. tube — a container
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. board — a committee
  24. tube — the underground

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