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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. land — a country
  4. craft — a skill
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bank — for money
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — of a river
  9. tube — a container
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bound — tied together
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bound — certain
  14. stand — to bear
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — boats
  18. bound — obliged
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — ground
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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