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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mark — a grade
  8. suit — in cards
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a trace
  12. plane — a tool
  13. snap — to click
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. suit — clothes
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bulb — for light
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. straw — a straw man

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