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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: mark · bark · hide · wind · foot · present · craft · fan

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. craft — boats
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. present — there
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bark — to shout

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