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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. squash — the sport
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. field — for sport
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. field — a subject
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. suit — clothes
  13. field — farmland
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — to crush
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pound — to hit hard

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