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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. face — part of the head
  3. tube — a container
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. face — to confront
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. tube — the underground
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. plane — a tool
  12. face — to point toward
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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