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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pit — in a race
  9. present — a gift
  10. wax — to grow
  11. present — there
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. craft — boats
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rock — music
  21. present — the time now
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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