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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. charge — in control
  10. bark — to shout
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. charge — a price
  19. staff — a stick
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ball — a great time
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. staff — employees

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