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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. board — a committee
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. board — to get on
  5. rash — a series
  6. suit — in cards
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mine — for digging
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rock — a stone

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