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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: craft · object · bay · kick · bore · mine · bark · race

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bark — to shout
  4. race — humankind
  5. object — an aim
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. race — a contest
  10. object — a thing
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bore — to drill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. craft — a skill
  20. kick — in football
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. craft — boats
  24. object — to protest

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