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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. suit — clothes
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — in cards
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. race — the arms race
  8. content — happy
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. suit — to fit
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. staff — a stick
  16. race — a contest
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. plane — a tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. content — the amount
  22. kid — child
  23. staff — employees
  24. bark — of a tree

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