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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rash — hasty
  6. craft — a skill
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rash — a series
  16. craft — boats
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. hand — help
  23. coach — a trainer
  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