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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · straw · rush · bark · saw · game · plane · mate

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mate — to breed
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rush — hurry
  11. can — to be able to
  12. plane — a tool
  13. game — a match
  14. can — a tin
  15. bark — to shout
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. game — a kind of play

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