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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: track · fine · perch · bark · fall · rest · craft · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fall — the season
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rest — what's left
  9. craft — boats
  10. track — a song
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — to keep track
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rest — a break
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fine — all right
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. track — a path

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