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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: calf · pit · tear · object · bass · board · bark · bowl

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bass — the fish
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. board — to get on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. object — a thing
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. tear — from crying

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