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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bear — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. tear — to rip
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. tear — from crying
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tear — from crying
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bark — to shout
  23. snap — to click
  24. mine — for digging

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