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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.

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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 · object · hide · land · craft · plane · firm · board

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. land — to come down
  3. craft — boats
  4. land — ground
  5. firm — decided
  6. board — a committee
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. firm — steady
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. object — a thing
  11. land — a country
  12. board — to get on
  13. plane — a tool
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. object — to protest
  18. craft — a skill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. object — an aim
  21. bark — to shout
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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