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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. craft — a skill
  3. march — the month
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bear — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. craft — boats
  11. march — music
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. march — the month

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