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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. race — humankind
  3. board — a committee
  4. field — a subject
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. board — to get on
  8. field — for sport
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. race — a contest
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pop — to visit
  13. race — the arms race
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. field — farmland
  24. plane — an aircraft

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