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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bark — to shout
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bore — to drill
  8. firm — a company
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — steady
  17. can — a tin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bore — to tire
  21. can — a tin
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. firm — decided

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