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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: bark · craft · stand · date · pop · bay · lash · court

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. date — the fruit
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. court — for sport
  7. craft — boats
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pop — soda
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pop — music
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. craft — a handicraft

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