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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. face — to point toward
  6. chair — a leader
  7. rash — a series
  8. bark — to shout
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. face — to confront
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rash — hasty
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. shower — to wash
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — rain

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