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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. row — to paddle
  4. club — for dancing
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bark — to shout
  8. rush — hurry
  9. club — a group
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. row — a line
  13. club — for golf
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — in control
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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