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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: craft · bark · cabinet · wind · bay · stock · lean · dip

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bark — to shout
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. craft — boats
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lean — thin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stock — shares
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — goods
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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