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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mate — a friend
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. suit — in cards
  9. craft — a skill
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. mate — to breed
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. craft — boats
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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