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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: court · present · lean · cabinet · club · bark · craft · sharp

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. present — there
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. present — the time now
  5. lean — to bend
  6. craft — boats
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. craft — a skill
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. court — of a king
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. club — a group
  15. court — of law
  16. club — for golf
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lean — thin
  19. present — a gift
  20. court — for sport
  21. club — for dancing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — to shout
  24. craft — a handicraft

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