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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cue — a hint
  4. suit — clothes
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cue — for pool
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stock — goods
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spell — magic
  16. suit — to fit
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. foot — a measure
  19. suit — in cards
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. stock — shares
  22. cue — a signal
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. trunk — of a car

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