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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rash — hasty
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. season — of the year
  11. object — a thing
  12. rash — a series
  13. season — in sport
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. object — to protest
  16. bass — the fish
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bass — low music
  19. can — a tin
  20. object — an aim
  21. craft — boats
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. craft — a skill

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