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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. sharp — clever
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. race — humankind
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pound — a weight
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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