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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: fall · pitch · lean · mouse · bowl · bark · squash · board

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. board — a committee
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. fall — the season
  7. board — to get on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. fall — to drop
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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