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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. net — after costs
  6. plane — a tool
  7. net — in sport
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. land — ground
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. land — to come down
  13. fork — in a road
  14. net — for catching
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bound — certain
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bark — to shout
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bound — tied together
  22. land — a country
  23. bound — obliged
  24. safe — a strongbox

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