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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: bark · pop · deal · craft · fine · tear · ball · press

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. tear — from crying
  4. fine — all right
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ball — a dance
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pop — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — boats
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pop — soda
  19. press — to push
  20. craft — a skill
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. tear — from crying
  24. deal — an agreement

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