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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. key — in music
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pound — a weight
  12. key — the most important part
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. key — for a lock
  15. plane — a tool
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. sharp — clever
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — a trace

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