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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: bat · cap · racket · bay · court · cabinet · plane · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. court — for sport
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bat — the animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bark — to shout

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