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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: bark · trunk · firm · suit · board · cap · hide · bear

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. suit — clothes
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — to fit
  17. firm — decided
  18. cap — a hat
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bark — to shout
  23. board — to get on
  24. firm — a company

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