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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.

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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. fine — high quality
  3. club — for golf
  4. present — the time now
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. club — a group
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. saw — the tool
  12. craft — boats
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. present — there
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cue — for pool
  22. club — for dancing
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fine — all right

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