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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. current — happening now
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. current — electric
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — the fish
  9. court — of law
  10. kick — in football
  11. court — of a king
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. row — a line
  16. court — for sport
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. current — of water
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. row — to paddle
  23. craft — boats
  24. bass — low music

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