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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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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: board · bark · fall · firm · chip · bowl · bear · mate

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fall — the season
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. firm — steady
  11. fall — to drop
  12. board — to get on
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. chip — in a computer

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