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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — a subject
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. field — for sport
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — clothes

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