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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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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: bear · craft · fine · bark · fan · ball · lie · track

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fine — high quality
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ball — a dance
  8. track — a song
  9. craft — boats
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. track — a path
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — the animal
  24. track — to keep track

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