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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 120 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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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: rest · hide · plane · tear · racket · firm · safe · bark

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. firm — a company
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. plane — a tool
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. firm — decided
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — steady
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bark — to shout
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tear — from crying
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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