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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pound — a weight
  9. hand — help
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. key — for a lock
  13. season — of the year
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. season — in sport
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. key — in music

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