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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 124 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. content — the amount
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chip — for betting
  7. field — a subject
  8. content — happy
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chip — to eat
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. field — for sport
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. plane — a tool
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. field — farmland

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