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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — decided
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. track — a song
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. mark — a trace
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. track — a path
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. season — in sport
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. plane — a tool
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mark — a grade

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