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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — a committee
  12. drill — army training
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bark — to shout
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. row — a line
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. track — a path
  24. board — to get on

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