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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: craft · ball · ground · ruler · key · stand · rest · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — to bear
  8. key — in music
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. craft — boats
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ground — a position
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. key — the most important part
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rest — a break

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