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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 116 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
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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 · bay · craft · capital · pit · mouse · fan · board

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — money
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. board — a committee
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. capital — a city
  24. board — to get on

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