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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 124 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bark — to shout
  3. rule — government
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. board — to get on
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rule — a law
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. suit — clothes
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. board — a committee
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chip — to eat
  21. branch — a division
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chip — for betting
  24. stem — to come from

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