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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. season — of the year
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. craft — a skill
  5. season — in sport
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. kick — in football
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. stock — shares
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stock — goods
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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