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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. content — the amount
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. spell — magic
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. spell — letters
  17. plane — a tool
  18. spell — a short time
  19. content — happy
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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