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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: saw · wave · board · ball · stick · net · bark · perch

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. net — for catching
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. net — in sport
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. saw — the tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. net — after costs
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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