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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.

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: chair · pound · fall · bark · charge · rock · board · pitcher

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fall — the season
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fall — to drop
  11. charge — a price
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. charge — in control
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rock — music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pound — a weight

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