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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bark — to shout
  6. squash — the sport
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. board — to get on
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — hasty
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wind — moving air
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wind — moving air
  23. board — a committee
  24. fork — a garden tool

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