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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 116 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: drill · craft · tube · bark · wound · stand · cabinet · bound

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. craft — a skill
  3. drill — army training
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bound — certain
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tube — a container
  18. bound — obliged
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — tied together
  24. craft — boats

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