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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.

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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: temple · hide · leaves · bark · court · pit · board · mouse

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. board — a committee
  5. court — of a king
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. court — of law
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pit — a hole
  13. board — to get on
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pit — in a race
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. court — for sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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