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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bound — obliged
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. date — the fruit
  17. vault — a safe
  18. craft — boats
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bark — to shout
  24. date — on the calendar

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