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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pass — a permit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. craft — boats
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stand — to bear
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mine — for digging
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bark — to shout

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