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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — a skill
  9. spell — magic
  10. pit — in a race
  11. spell — letters
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bark — to shout
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pit — a hole
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wind — moving air
  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