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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 120 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: cell · scale · craft · dip · mouse · bore · prune · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bore — to drill
  6. craft — boats
  7. prune — to trim
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cell — a phone
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. scale — in music
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — the animal

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