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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rash — a series
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. plane — a tool
  15. lie — to recline
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. present — a gift
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. present — the time now
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rash — hasty

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