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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: sharp · bark · deal · present · bowl · craft · net · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. deal — to handle
  3. present — the time now
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. net — after costs
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. net — for catching
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. present — there
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — a gift
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mark — a trace
  23. net — in sport
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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