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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fine — all right
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rest — a break
  21. file — a tool
  22. fine — high quality
  23. firm — a company
  24. pound — to hit hard

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