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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wake — a trail
  5. snap — to click
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. foot — a measure
  16. key — in music
  17. race — the arms race
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kick — in football
  21. race — humankind
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. race — a contest
  24. key — the most important part

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