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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bark — to shout
  3. board — a committee
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. degree — temperature
  7. race — humankind
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. race — a contest
  13. degree — an amount
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. craft — boats
  18. race — the arms race
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. craft — a skill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. degree — from a university
  24. craft — a handicraft

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