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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: bear · mark · present · date · plane · key · hide · bark

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. present — there
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — a grade
  8. plane — a tool
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. key — in music
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. present — the time now
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mark — a trace
  21. present — a gift
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bark — to shout
  24. hide — to keep secret

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