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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: craft · shower · lie · cap · bound · racket · root · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. root — the cause
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bound — certain
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bark — to shout
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lie — to recline
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bound — tied together
  17. craft — boats
  18. shower — rain
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. root — of a word
  22. craft — a skill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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