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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.

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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: staff · bark · chip · swing · rock · mouse · plane · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rock — music
  4. face — to confront
  5. swing — to play on
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. staff — employees
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rock — a stone
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. chip — to eat
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. chip — for betting
  20. plane — a tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rock — to move gently
  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