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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: spring · wake · charge · bear · board · pitcher · pop · bark

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — soda
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. charge — a price
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. spring — the season
  11. board — to get on
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — in control
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bark — to shout
  21. pop — music
  22. board — a committee
  23. pop — to visit
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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