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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bark — to shout
  3. object — a thing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fine — all right
  6. spell — magic
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — high quality
  10. can — to be able to
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. spell — a short time
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. plane — a tool

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