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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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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: board · firm · rule · suit · bark · patient · key · clip

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rule — government
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. clip — a video
  8. board — a committee
  9. firm — steady
  10. clip — to cut
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. clip — for paper
  15. suit — clothes
  16. key — the most important part
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — to get on
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. firm — a company
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. suit — to fit
  24. firm — decided

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