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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 116 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: tube · plane · present · track · mate · bark · wave · trunk

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. mate — a friend
  3. present — the time now
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mate — a partner
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. tube — the underground
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. mate — to breed
  14. present — a gift
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. tube — a container
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. present — there
  22. track — a path
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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