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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stock — goods
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — shares
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wake — a trail
  20. craft — boats
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bark — of a tree

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