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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bore — to tire
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ground — a position
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. craft — boats
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — in music
  23. object — to protest
  24. craft — a handicraft

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