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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. shower — to wash
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. row — a line
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. plane — a tool
  24. foot — a measure

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