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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. tube — the underground
  9. season — of the year
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. season — in sport
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bark — to shout
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tube — a container
  19. wake — a trail
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. deal — to handle
  24. season — to add flavour

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