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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. staff — employees
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. object — a thing
  5. bark — to shout
  6. hand — in cards
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pit — a hole
  9. root — of a plant
  10. staff — a stick
  11. root — the cause
  12. staff — employees
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. root — of a word
  15. object — an aim
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pit — in a race
  18. craft — boats
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. object — to protest
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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