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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bound — tied together
  7. plane — a tool
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. swing — in golf
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bound — obliged
  13. cue — for pool
  14. swing — music
  15. game — wild animals
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. spell — magic
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cue — a signal
  20. spell — a short time
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. cue — a hint
  23. spell — letters
  24. game — a match

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