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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pitch — completely
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ground — a position
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. firm — a company

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