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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: hand · plane · craft · rock · roll · jam · stick · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hand — in cards
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rock — a stone
  6. roll — a cake
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. craft — boats
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. roll — a list
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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