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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bark — to shout
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cue — for pool
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. cue — a signal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mug — a cup
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mug — a face
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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