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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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468
Word bank
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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bay — a horse colour

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