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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 · nail · board · chip · safe · deal · stock · bore

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bore — to drill
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. chip — to eat
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bore — to tire
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stock — shares
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stock — goods
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bark — to shout
  23. deal — to handle
  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