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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. drill — army training
  4. object — a thing
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bass — the fish
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. drill — a practice
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bass — low music
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. drill — the tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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