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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.

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: present · stand · nail · mouse · bark · saw · cabinet · craft

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. present — a gift
  10. craft — boats
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — there
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. present — the time now

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