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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — boats
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. wound — an injury
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. board — a committee
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. board — a flat piece

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