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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: bark · perch · stand · fine · craft · degree · kick · pit

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. degree — an amount
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. degree — temperature
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fine — all right
  13. craft — boats
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. kick — in football
  16. bark — to shout
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fine — high quality

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