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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: saw · bark · net · firm · board · club · staff · date

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. board — to get on
  4. saw — the tool
  5. club — for golf
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. club — a group
  13. net — for catching
  14. firm — steady
  15. staff — employees
  16. club — for dancing
  17. firm — a company
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. staff — employees
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. date — the fruit
  22. firm — decided
  23. saw — the tool
  24. board — a committee

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