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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rock — music
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lean — thin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wax — to grow

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