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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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cap — a lid
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — music
  10. drill — the tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cap — of ice
  14. drill — a practice
  15. root — of a word
  16. pound — a weight
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cap — a hat
  22. drill — army training
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. root — the cause

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