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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. track — a song
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cue — for pool
  6. plane — a tool
  7. track — to keep track
  8. present — the time now
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. track — a path
  19. cue — a hint
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. file — a tool
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cue — a signal

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