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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: suit · kick · foot · board · chip · can · bark · clip

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. can — to be able to
  3. clip — a video
  4. bark — to shout
  5. board — a committee
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. can — a tin
  8. suit — in cards
  9. can — a tin
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. suit — to fit
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — for paper
  15. kick — in football
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. board — a flat piece

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