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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cell — a phone
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cue — for pool
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cue — a signal

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