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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. clip — to cut
  6. craft — boats
  7. mark — a grade
  8. craft — a skill
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. clip — for paper
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. clip — a video
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pass — a permit

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