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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: mug · straw · sharp · craft · deal · bark · bore · band

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bore — to drill
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. craft — boats
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. deal — to handle
  11. band — a ring
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bore — to tire
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. craft — a skill
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mug — to rob
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mug — a face
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. band — a music group

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