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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. craft — boats
  8. game — wild animals
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. kick — in football
  14. game — a match
  15. bark — to shout
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bound — tied together
  22. ball — a great time
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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