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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 124 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. game — a match
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. stock — shares
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. game — wild animals
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stock — goods
  18. craft — a skill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wake — a trail
  21. drill — army training
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wake — before a funeral

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