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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: rash · bark · stick · rock · craft · sharp · jam · wound

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. craft — boats
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bark — to shout
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. sharp — clever
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rash — hasty
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rock — music
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rash — a series
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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