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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. face — to point toward
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. face — part of the head
  10. rock — music
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. face — to confront
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. firm — steady
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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