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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.

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: mine · bark · bulb · roll · mug · plane · mate · spell

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — a cup
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mug — a face
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spell — magic
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. spell — letters
  17. mate — a partner
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. roll — a list
  21. mate — a friend
  22. roll — a cake
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mate — to breed

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