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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pop — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bank — for money
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pop — soda
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. last — final
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. snap — to click
  19. last — finally
  20. last — to go on
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rest — a break
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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