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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.

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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: bark · plane · mate · staff · calf · current · key · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. current — of water
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. staff — a stick
  8. key — in music
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. plane — a tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. current — happening now
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — electric

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