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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. craft — a skill
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. face — to confront
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. firm — decided
  13. face — to point toward
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bark — to shout
  19. firm — steady
  20. prune — to trim
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. cue — a signal
  23. craft — boats
  24. face — part 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