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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. board — to get on
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bass — the fish
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. branch — a division
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. bark — to shout
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. board — a committee
  20. cap — of ice
  21. object — a thing
  22. bass — low music
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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