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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 116 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rest — a break
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. object — an aim
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. object — to protest
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. land — a country
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. land — to come down
  22. bark — to shout
  23. land — ground
  24. object — a thing

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