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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: snap · board · rush · bark · patient · bear · fan · mouse

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. snap — to click
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bear — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. board — to get on
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bark — to shout
  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