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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. board — a committee
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bark — to shout
  12. board — to get on
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. chip — to eat
  15. dip — to sink
  16. saw — the tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chip — for betting
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. chest — a box
  22. saw — the tool
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. craft — a handicraft

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