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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. suit — clothes
  5. content — happy
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — to wash
  9. content — the amount
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — rain

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