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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spring — a coil
  3. craft — boats
  4. spring — the season
  5. stock — shares
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. craft — a skill
  8. spring — of water
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bark — to shout
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stock — goods
  17. suit — in cards
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pound — to hit hard

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