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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. club — a group
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rest — a break
  6. spell — magic
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bark — to shout
  9. club — for dancing
  10. present — the time now
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — a gift
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. club — for golf
  19. present — there
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — for money
  22. can — to be able to
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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