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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cap — a hat
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cap — of ice
  7. charge — a price
  8. wind — moving air
  9. charge — in control
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pitch — completely
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cue — for pool
  24. plane — in geometry

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