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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. plane — a tool
  7. object — a thing
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. object — to protest
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bark — to shout
  16. march — music
  17. cap — a hat
  18. row — to paddle
  19. march — the month
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. object — an aim
  22. march — the month
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. can — a tin

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