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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. kid — child
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rush — hurry
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. plane — a tool
  13. kid — to tease
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. root — of a word
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mug — a face
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mug — a cup
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mug — to rob

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