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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 120 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 · mouse · arm · chair · pass · drill · bear

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chair — a leader
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. drill — army training
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. drill — the tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bark — of a tree

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