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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 124 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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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: court · object · race · bark · craft · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. court — of a king
  3. race — the arms race
  4. court — of law
  5. bark — to shout
  6. object — to protest
  7. court — for sport
  8. object — an aim
  9. race — a contest
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. race — humankind
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. craft — boats

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