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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 124 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. season — in sport
  6. bass — the fish
  7. craft — boats
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bass — low music
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rule — government
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rule — a law
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. board — a committee
  19. tear — from crying
  20. board — to get on
  21. bark — to shout
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. tear — to rip

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