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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: lie · plane · bat · bark · hide · game · bank · scale

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bat — the animal
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. scale — size or range
  10. lie — to recline
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bank — of a river
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. scale — in music
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. game — a match
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. plane — a tool
  24. hide — animal skin

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