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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. present — a gift
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bass — low music
  8. bank — for money
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bank — for money
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stock — goods
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. stock — shares
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bank — of a river

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