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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: snap · row · march · temple · jam · suit · bark · board

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. march — music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. snap — to click
  16. board — to get on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

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