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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. craft — boats
  3. chip — to eat
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bark — to shout
  9. court — of a king
  10. row — a line
  11. firm — steady
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lean — thin
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. court — for sport
  17. firm — decided
  18. court — of law
  19. firm — a company
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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