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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kick — in football
  4. plane — a tool
  5. key — in music
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. key — for a lock
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ground — a position
  12. bound — tied together
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bore — to drill
  17. root — of a word
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bore — to tire
  22. root — the cause
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bore — gave birth

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