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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. suit — in cards
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. craft — boats
  9. rest — what's left
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rest — a break
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rest — what's left
  20. craft — a skill
  21. snap — to click
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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