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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: bark · pop · net · tube · rock · sharp · board · present

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pop — soda
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. net — for catching
  8. board — a committee
  9. pop — music
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bark — to shout
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. present — there
  14. tube — a container
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. net — after costs
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. rock — music
  21. net — in sport
  22. pop — to visit
  23. tube — the underground
  24. sharp — exactly

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