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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pit — in a race
  4. board — a committee
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bank — for money
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. row — to paddle
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — a line
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. board — to get on

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