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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 116 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. squash — to crush
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. craft — a skill
  10. squash — the sport
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rush — hurry
  14. content — happy
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. board — to get on
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. content — the amount
  21. board — a committee
  22. craft — boats
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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