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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: sharp · firm · staff · bark · coach · spring · plane · toast

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. firm — a company
  4. toast — bread
  5. staff — employees
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. spring — of water
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. firm — steady
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. staff — a stick
  17. sharp — clever
  18. staff — employees
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. firm — decided
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bark — to shout
  24. spring — the season

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