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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. court — of a king
  3. shower — to wash
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rest — a break
  7. race — a contest
  8. shower — rain
  9. race — humankind
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. craft — boats
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. firm — decided
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — a company
  21. court — for sport
  22. firm — steady
  23. court — of law
  24. rest — what's left

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