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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 116 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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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: present · bark · mouse · key · ruler · tear · craft · chair

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. key — for a lock
  3. present — a gift
  4. tear — from crying
  5. key — in music
  6. present — there
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chair — a leader
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tear — to rip
  18. craft — boats
  19. key — the most important part
  20. present — the time now
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bark — to shout

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