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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. pass — a permit
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. current — happening now
  13. bound — obliged
  14. squash — to crush
  15. current — electric
  16. craft — a skill
  17. current — of water
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bound — certain
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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