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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: roll · stand · bark · plane · object · mug · shower · arm

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bark — to shout
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — an aim
  6. shower — rain
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mug — a cup
  10. object — a thing
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mug — to rob
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. object — to protest
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. shower — to wash
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. roll — a list
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. arm — part of the body

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