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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pass — a permit
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bore — to tire
  18. cue — for pool
  19. craft — a skill
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cue — a signal
  22. craft — boats
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pass — to spend time

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