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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pop — to visit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pop — music
  7. deal — to handle
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. tube — the underground
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bark — to shout
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pop — soda
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. staff — employees
  19. tube — a container
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. staff — employees

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