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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. land — to come down
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bark — to shout
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — a division
  15. lie — to recline
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. suit — to fit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  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