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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: present · wave · plane · cue · fine · land · bear · bark

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. land — ground
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. present — a gift
  10. land — a country
  11. present — the time now
  12. land — to come down
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fine — all right
  24. wave — of the sea

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