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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pound — a weight
  3. suit — to fit
  4. plane — a tool
  5. net — in sport
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. net — after costs
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. suit — clothes
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ball — a dance
  22. net — for catching
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wound — an injury

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