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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: craft · stand · toast · season · pound · bark · deal · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. deal — to handle
  4. toast — bread
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. season — of the year
  14. bark — to shout
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. season — in sport
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bark — of a tree

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