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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pound — a weight
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. game — a match
  9. wax — to grow
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mark — a trace
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bore — to tire
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wax — for sculpting

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