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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · chip · cabinet · kick · board · stock · craft · club

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. board — a committee
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. board — to get on
  13. stock — goods
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stock — shares
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cabinet — ministers

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