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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bass · rock · lean · rest · craft · fan · bark · object

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rest — a break
  4. lean — to bend
  5. object — an aim
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lean — thin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. craft — boats
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bass — low music
  12. object — a thing
  13. rock — music
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. craft — a skill
  16. object — to protest
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rest — what's left

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