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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: firm · plane · leaves · prune · chair · degree · jam · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. degree — temperature
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. degree — from a university
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. firm — steady
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. degree — an amount
  13. chair — a leader
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. plane — a tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. leaves — of a tree

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