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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. march — music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mug — a face
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — steady
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. march — the month
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mark — a grade
  20. kid — child
  21. firm — decided
  22. march — the month
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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