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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: wave · bark · nail · craft · bound · stand · chest · mine

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. craft — boats
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bound — certain
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chest — a box
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. chest — of your body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — of the sea

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