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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ball — a dance
  6. squash — to crush
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. can — a tin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. craft — a skill
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ball — a great time
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mug — to rob
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. craft — boats
  20. foot — a measure
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a round shape

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