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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pound — a weight
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mark — a trace
  14. vault — a safe
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mark — a grade
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. can — a tin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. can — to be able to

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