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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. board — a committee
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. key — in music
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. staff — employees
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. staff — employees
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. kick — in football

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