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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. degree — temperature
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. degree — an amount
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. firm — a company
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. firm — decided
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. degree — from a university

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