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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
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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: plane · fine · suit · rule · bark · ground · fall · key

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rule — government
  4. ground — the earth
  5. key — in music
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rule — a law
  9. fine — all right
  10. ground — crushed
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ground — a position
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fine — high quality
  17. suit — in cards
  18. key — the most important part
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. suit — to fit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fall — the season
  24. fine — a penalty

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