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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · charge · present · bark · straw · land · staff · wave

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. charge — electricity
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. land — ground
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. present — a gift
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. charge — in control
  14. land — to come down
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. present — the time now
  17. charge — a price
  18. staff — a stick
  19. plane — a tool
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. present — there
  22. land — a country
  23. bark — to shout
  24. plane — in geometry

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