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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: tube · board · bear · wake · bark · mug · season · cabinet

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mug — a face
  6. tube — a container
  7. board — to get on
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mug — to rob
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. wake — a trail
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. season — in sport
  24. cabinet — ministers

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