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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. board — to get on
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. object — an aim
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. craft — boats
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bark — to shout
  12. object — to protest
  13. chip — for betting
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. board — a committee
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — a thing
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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