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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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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. race — a contest
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — for money
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — for money
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. race — humankind
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill

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