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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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. ball — a dance
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ball — a great time
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bank — of a river
  14. file — a tool
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bank — for money
  21. file — a document
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bank — for money

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