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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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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: stick · foot · bark · temple · spring · plane · bowl · rest

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. spring — of water
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rest — a break
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rest — what's left
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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