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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rock — a stone
  6. drill — a practice
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rock — music
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. drill — army training
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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