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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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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: saw · shower · bay · bark · fork · craft · pit · nail

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. saw — the tool
  4. shower — to wash
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. craft — a skill
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. craft — boats
  19. shower — rain
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pit — in a race
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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