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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. board — a committee
  11. net — after costs
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. board — to get on
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chair — a leader
  16. club — for dancing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. net — for catching
  23. bark — to shout
  24. net — in sport

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