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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. spring — the season
  3. craft — a skill
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wake — a trail
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. spring — of water
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. craft — boats
  17. last — finally
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bark — to shout
  20. last — to go on
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. last — final
  24. bark — of a tree

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