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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rule — government
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. net — in sport
  5. rest — a break
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. present — the time now
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. present — a gift
  12. net — after costs
  13. present — there
  14. rule — a law
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bark — to shout
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. net — for catching
  24. prune — to trim

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