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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mark — a grade
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stock — shares
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — obliged
  12. roll — a list
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. stock — goods
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bark — to shout
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — certain
  24. plane — in geometry

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