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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · degree · lean · craft · firm · club

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — a company
  3. craft — boats
  4. firm — steady
  5. club — for golf
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. craft — a skill
  9. degree — from a university
  10. lean — to bend
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. club — a group
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. degree — temperature
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lean — thin
  17. degree — an amount
  18. firm — decided

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