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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wind — moving air
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bound — certain
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stock — goods
  17. march — the month
  18. rock — music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. date — the fruit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stock — shares
  23. date — on the calendar
  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