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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. race — humankind
  6. scale — in music
  7. present — the time now
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rash — a series
  13. pop — music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. present — a gift
  16. race — a contest
  17. mark — a trace
  18. present — there
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rash — hasty

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