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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rush — hurry
  5. swing — in golf
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bark — to shout
  13. lean — thin
  14. swing — to play on
  15. object — to protest
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. swing — music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wound — an injury
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lean — to bend

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