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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — a trace
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. plane — a tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. land — to come down
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pound — a weight
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. deal — to handle
  19. land — ground
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. land — a country
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. sharp — exactly

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