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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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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 · chair · temple · leaves · craft · racket · pit · firm

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chair — a leader
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. firm — steady
  6. pit — in a race
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. firm — a company
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. bark — to shout
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  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