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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.

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: season · bark · plane · chair · bound · can · craft · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. season — of the year
  3. bound — certain
  4. file — a line of people
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. file — a tool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. chair — a leader
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. season — in sport
  18. bound — obliged
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bark — to shout
  22. craft — boats
  23. can — to be able to
  24. craft — a skill

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