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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. kid — child
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bound — certain
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bound — tied together
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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