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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bore — to drill
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spring — of water
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bore — to tire
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a skill
  24. spring — the season

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