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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: plane · dip · chair · hide · degree · mark · bark · present

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. plane — a tool
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. degree — from a university
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bark — to shout
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. present — there
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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