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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.

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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: lean · scale · bound · suit · bark · plane · kid · bear

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lean — thin
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bound — certain
  8. kid — child
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bound — tied together
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. scale — in music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — clothes
  19. lean — to bend
  20. kid — to tease
  21. suit — in cards
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. plane — an aircraft

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