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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rock — music
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mug — a face
  11. capital — money
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bound — certain
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. root — the cause

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