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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bound — tied together
  7. saw — the tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bound — certain
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. firm — decided

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