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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bank — for money
  16. game — a match
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. craft — boats
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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