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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · stand · bark · hide · rule · wake · board · key

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. key — in music
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mug — a cup
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mug — a face
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rule — government
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rule — a law
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rule — to rule out

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