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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · chair · rush · mouse · saw · craft · ball · bear

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bark — to shout
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. craft — boats
  24. mouse — the animal

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