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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.

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: arm · plane · club · bark · rock · bound · lean · kick

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. club — for golf
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — a stone
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bound — obliged
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bound — certain
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bound — tied together
  20. club — a group
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rock — music
  24. club — for dancing

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