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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. board — a committee
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bear — the animal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. degree — an amount
  17. stock — goods
  18. degree — from a university
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. degree — temperature
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bark — to shout

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