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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. craft — boats
  16. fork — in a road
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk

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