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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. land — ground
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. root — of a word
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. land — a country
  10. bark — to shout
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. root — the cause
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. land — to come down
  23. fan — a supporter
  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