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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bore — to drill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. content — the amount
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pop — music
  14. game — a match
  15. craft — boats
  16. bark — to shout
  17. vault — a safe
  18. content — happy
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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