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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  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 — to get on
  2. drill — a practice
  3. board — a committee
  4. pop — music
  5. staff — a stick
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pop — soda
  8. staff — employees
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. staff — employees
  11. drill — army training
  12. pit — a hole
  13. track — a song
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. track — a path
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pop — to visit
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cell — in biology
  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