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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. perch — the fish
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rock — music
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. pit — a hole
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bound — certain
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bark — to shout
  24. field — farmland

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