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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pit — a hole
  4. sharp — clever
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bark — to shout
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pit — in a race
  10. spell — letters
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. press — to push
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. craft — boats
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. spell — magic
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — a publisher

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