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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. craft — a skill
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. object — to protest
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. object — an aim
  14. bark — to shout
  15. craft — boats
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bat — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. foot — a measure
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — a thing
  24. ball — a dance

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