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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. bark — to shout
  3. plane — a tool
  4. object — a thing
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cold — an illness
  8. current — happening now
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. object — to protest
  12. stand — to bear
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cold — not warm
  17. game — wild animals
  18. current — of water
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. object — an aim
  21. land — to come down
  22. current — electric
  23. game — a match
  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