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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 geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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 — of a tree
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. cue — a signal
  6. plane — a tool
  7. chip — for betting
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cue — for pool
  10. key — for a lock
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cue — a hint
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. key — in music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bark — to shout
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  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