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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bark — to shout
  3. roll — a list
  4. club — for dancing
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rash — a series
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rash — hasty
  12. craft — boats
  13. club — for golf
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. club — a group
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. kick — in football
  24. craft — a skill

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