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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rash — hasty
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. row — a line
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pound — a weight
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — a series
  16. cap — a hat
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cap — of ice
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. row — to paddle

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