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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. charge — in control
  3. ball — a great time
  4. charge — electricity
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ground — crushed
  10. march — the month
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. march — music
  13. charge — a price
  14. ground — a position
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. craft — boats
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ground — the earth
  23. march — the month
  24. bark — to shout

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