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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. key — in music
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. pit — in a race
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. land — ground
  7. bark — to shout
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. key — for a lock
  11. net — for catching
  12. key — the most important part
  13. land — a country
  14. net — after costs
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. craft — boats
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — in sport
  21. land — to come down
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. safe — out of danger

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