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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rule — a law
  4. present — there
  5. rule — government
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pop — soda
  9. bear — the animal
  10. present — a gift
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pop — music
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rule — to rule out

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