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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: jam · pass · bark · row · chair · bay · rock · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rock — a stone
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. craft — boats
  11. row — to paddle
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pass — a permit
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. row — a line
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. rock — music
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pass — to succeed

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