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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — to visit
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. net — for catching
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. plane — a tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bank — of a river
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — after costs
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bank — for money
  23. bark — to shout
  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