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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.

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: bark · rock · bound · racket · bay · stick · board · hand

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hand — help
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bark — to shout
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. board — to get on
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. board — a committee
  20. bound — tied together
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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