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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.

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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: squash · deal · bear · charge · bark · plane · sharp · bore

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bark — to shout
  11. plane — a tool
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. charge — a price
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bore — to drill
  22. charge — electricity
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — to crush

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