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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. board — a committee
  8. spell — letters
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bark — to shout
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spell — a short time
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — magic
  18. board — to get on

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