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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. stock — shares
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stock — goods
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cue — for pool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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