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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cap — a hat
  4. file — a tool
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. plane — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cap — of ice
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. file — a document
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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