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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bark — to shout
  6. key — in music
  7. staff — employees
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — employees
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. tube — the underground
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tube — a container
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. key — for a lock
  20. plane — a tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. key — the most important part
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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