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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pound — a weight
  3. last — final
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mug — a cup
  7. scale — in music
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. plane — a tool
  10. last — to go on
  11. mug — a face
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. last — finally
  19. rest — a break
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rest — what's left
  24. scale — size or range

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