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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. suit — to fit
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pound — a weight
  7. file — a line of people
  8. wind — moving air
  9. plane — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. board — to get on
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bulb — for light
  15. content — happy
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wind — moving air
  19. suit — in cards
  20. file — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bulb — for light
  23. content — the amount
  24. board — a committee

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