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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
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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: date · bay · board · drill · bark · stand · row · suit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. board — a committee
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. row — a line
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. drill — a practice
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bark — to shout
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. drill — army training

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