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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: jam · bark · firm · plane · can · bat · wake · fork

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. firm — decided
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. plane — a tool
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. can — a tin
  9. fork — in a road
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. firm — steady
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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