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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. wind — moving air
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. date — the fruit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. key — for a lock
  8. current — electric
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bark — to shout
  12. current — happening now
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. key — in music
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wind — moving air
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. key — the most important part
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. current — of water
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. arm — part of the body

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