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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bark — to shout
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. plane — a tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stock — goods
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rock — music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stock — shares
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. date — on the calendar

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