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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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. craft — boats
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bark — to shout
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fine — high quality
  9. chip — to eat
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. ground — crushed
  13. craft — a skill
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. sharp — clever
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ground — a position
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fine — all right
  24. bank — for money

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