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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. file — a tool
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bulb — for light
  6. file — a document
  7. present — the time now
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bark — to shout
  10. file — a line of people
  11. present — a gift
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. suit — in cards
  14. present — there
  15. bore — to drill
  16. snap — to click
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — a tool
  24. suit — clothes

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