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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. cold — an illness
  3. craft — boats
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cold — not warm
  6. object — an aim
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. object — to protest
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bark — to shout
  17. object — a thing
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mug — a face
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mug — to rob

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