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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bark — to shout
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. game — a match
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. game — wild animals
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. firm — decided
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. craft — boats
  23. bulb — for light
  24. firm — steady

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