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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — a trail
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. suit — to fit
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cell — in biology
  15. board — a committee
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cell — a phone

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