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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 116 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
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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: pitcher · lean · bound · rule · bark · drill · can · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bound — obliged
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lean — thin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bound — certain
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. drill — army training
  15. lean — to bend
  16. rule — government
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. craft — a skill
  21. drill — a practice
  22. can — to be able to
  23. craft — boats
  24. rule — a law

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