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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. foot — a measure
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pound — a weight
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. row — to paddle
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pop — music
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. root — the cause
  15. row — a line
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. root — of a word
  18. shower — rain
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pop — to visit
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pop — soda

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