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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. nail — on a finger
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cap — of ice
  9. fork — in a road
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cap — a lid
  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