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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rock — music
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. plane — a tool
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. drill — army training
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bear — the animal

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