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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stock — shares
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rush — hurry
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. drill — army training
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bark — to shout
  18. present — a gift
  19. stock — goods
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stock — a soup base

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