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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bound — certain
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. key — the most important part
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bound — obliged
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bound — tied together

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