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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. pound — a weight
  5. key — in music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. key — the most important part
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — a tool
  11. race — a contest
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. net — for catching
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. key — for a lock
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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