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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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. track — a song
  4. present — a gift
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. plane — a tool
  7. key — in music
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stock — goods
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stock — shares
  15. can — a tin
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pound — a weight
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. can — a tin
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. present — there

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