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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — boats
  8. suit — clothes
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pound — a weight
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. current — happening now
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. current — of water
  23. plane — a tool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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