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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: nail · bark · sharp · suit · trunk · perch · present · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — clever
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — clothes
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. craft — boats
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bark — to shout
  19. present — the time now
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — to fit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. trunk — of a car

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