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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bound — certain
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bass — low music
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. bound — tied together
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. can — a tin
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — obliged
  24. face — to point toward

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