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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bark · bear · mark · ball · band · board · foot

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ball — a great time
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — a committee
  6. bear — the animal
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mark — a grade
  9. band — a ring
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mark — a trace
  12. board — to get on
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. craft — boats

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