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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pound — a weight
  4. spring — the season
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. spring — of water
  9. ground — crushed
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — the earth
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. row — a line
  18. fine — all right
  19. ground — a position
  20. spring — a coil
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pound — for dogs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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