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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bark — to shout
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. board — a committee
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. chip — for betting
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rush — hurry
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fork — in a road
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — out of danger

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