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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bear — the animal

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