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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: wave · mark · field · cap · bark · craft · saw · lie

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bark — to shout
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. craft — boats
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. field — for sport
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cap — of ice
  24. craft — a skill

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