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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. perch — the fish
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bulb — for light
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. chip — to eat
  16. foot — a measure
  17. craft — boats
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a skill
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. racket — for tennis

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