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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. bark — to shout
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wound — an injury
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bank — for money
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pitcher — a jug

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