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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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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. squash — to crush
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. key — the most important part
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. can — a tin
  11. bark — to shout
  12. snap — to click
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the sport
  18. can — to be able to

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