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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. field — farmland
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rush — hurry
  7. field — a subject
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. toast — bread
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. field — for sport
  24. mark — to pay attention

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