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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. track — a song
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. track — a path
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pass — a permit
  16. cue — for pool
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pound — a weight
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. cue — a signal
  23. track — to keep track
  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