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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. dip — to sink
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rest — a break
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mark — a trace
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. plane — a tool

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