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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mate · cabinet · sharp · board · chair · temple · wake

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. board — to get on
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bark — to shout
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mate — a friend
  16. chair — a leader
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mate — to breed
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wake — a trail
  24. board — a committee

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