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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. plane — a tool
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. ground — crushed
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ground — a position
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ground — the earth
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rush — a thrill

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