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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  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. can — a tin
  3. bark — to shout
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. board — a committee
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. can — a tin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bank — for money
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. plane — a tool
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. coach — a trainer
  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