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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 120 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. swing — music
  7. rush — hurry
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bark — to shout
  20. fork — in a road
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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