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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. plane — a tool
  6. chest — of your body
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. drill — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. can — a tin
  15. chest — a box
  16. pop — soda
  17. drill — army training
  18. pound — a weight

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