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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
468
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: mouse · pitch · bark · content · bulb · board · row · rule

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. board — a committee
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. content — happy
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rule — government
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. row — a line
  20. content — the amount
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rule — a law
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mouse — for a computer

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