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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 120 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. plane — a tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. firm — decided
  9. fine — high quality
  10. wake — a trail
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bark — to shout
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. root — of a word
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. firm — a company

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