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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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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. root — the cause
  7. toast — bread
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. plane — a tool
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. root — of a word

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