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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. kick — in football
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. craft — boats
  7. bark — to shout
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. pit — in a race
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pit — a hole
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. kick — a thrill

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