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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. wake — a trail
  3. root — of a word
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. tube — a container
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bark — to shout
  24. plane — a tool

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