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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. cue — a hint
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. capital — a city
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. cue — for pool
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. cue — a signal
  19. capital — money
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. snap — to click
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bark — of a tree

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