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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. ground — a position
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pound — a weight
  18. scale — in music
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. scale — size or range
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fork — a garden tool

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