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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. key — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fine — all right
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fine — high quality
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bark — of a tree

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