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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. fine — all right
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — boats
  9. toast — bread
  10. race — humankind
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. race — a contest
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. spell — magic
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. spell — letters
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ruler — for measuring

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