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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. craft — boats
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. degree — from a university
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. degree — temperature
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bore — to tire
  23. degree — an amount
  24. lash — to lash out

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