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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. net — after costs
  3. squash — the sport
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wake — a trail
  10. squash — to crush
  11. net — in sport
  12. pop — to visit
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pop — music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pop — soda
  18. net — for catching
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. can — a tin
  24. pound — to hit hard

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