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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. plane — a tool
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lean — thin
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. tube — a container
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bark — to shout
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lean — to bend
  21. tube — the underground
  22. foot — a measure
  23. plane — in geometry
  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