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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pound — a weight
  3. snap — to click
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. craft — boats
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. suit — to fit
  19. branch — a division
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. safe — a strongbox

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