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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — to shout
  10. snap — to click
  11. suit — to fit
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. suit — clothes
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. ground — a position
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. ground — the earth
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. fine — all right
  23. craft — boats
  24. present — a gift

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