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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bank — for money
  3. chest — a box
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. present — a gift
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. tube — the underground
  13. board — a committee
  14. present — there
  15. chest — of your body
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. board — to get on
  21. plane — a tool
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. tube — a container
  24. present — the time now

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