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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rest — a break
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bark — to shout
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pound — a weight
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rest — what's left
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tube — a container
  18. craft — boats
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mouse — for a computer

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