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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. ball — a great time
  6. current — happening now
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. current — electric
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — boats
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. current — of water
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hide — to keep secret

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