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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bark · mug · arm · mine · rock · staff · chair · plane

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rock — music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. staff — employees
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mug — a cup
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. staff — a stick
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. staff — employees
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mine — belonging to me

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