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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.

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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mark — a grade
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. press — to push
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. plane — a tool
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pound — for dogs

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