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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. craft — boats
  16. snap — to click
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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