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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. net — in sport
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — a tool
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. key — in music
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. net — after costs
  15. key — the most important part
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bound — tied together
  18. key — for a lock
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. net — for catching
  24. cue — for pool

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