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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bass — the fish
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. capital — money
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bass — low music
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bank — for money
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. craft — boats
  24. capital — a city

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