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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bark — to shout
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. can — to be able to
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. craft — boats
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. can — a tin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — side of the head

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