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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. present — there
  11. plane — a tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. field — farmland
  14. foot — a measure
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. bark — to shout
  23. present — a gift
  24. track — a path

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