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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. net — in sport
  2. roll — a list
  3. suit — in cards
  4. plane — a tool
  5. cap — a lid
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pound — a weight
  8. key — for a lock
  9. net — for catching
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. key — in music
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. net — after costs
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cap — of ice
  19. suit — clothes
  20. dip — to sink
  21. key — the most important part
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pound — for dogs

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