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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kick — in football
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. degree — an amount
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. firm — a company
  11. degree — from a university
  12. ground — a position
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bark — to shout
  19. degree — temperature
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — steady
  22. staff — employees
  23. firm — decided
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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