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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 120 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
468
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: court · board · bark · bay · stick · bore · bass · bulb

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. court — of a king
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. court — of law
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. court — for sport
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bass — low music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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