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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. game — a match
  8. present — there
  9. suit — to fit
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — to shout
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. game — wild animals
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. suit — clothes
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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