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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. staff — a stick
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. staff — employees
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. swing — music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. swing — to play on
  15. tube — a container
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. swing — in golf
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — the animal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. staff — employees
  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