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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: craft · safe · march · content · suit · deal · bark · prune

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bark — to shout
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. craft — a skill
  10. content — the amount
  11. suit — to fit
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. march — the month
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. content — happy
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — in cards
  21. craft — boats
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. march — music
  24. deal — a big deal

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