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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 116 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. plane — a tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. bark — to shout
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mug — a face
  18. rule — a law
  19. mug — to rob
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. hand — help
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rule — government

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