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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: bark · stick · bowl · wave · firm · plane · tube · jam

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. tube — a container
  8. bark — to shout
  9. firm — decided
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. firm — a company
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. firm — steady
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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