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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pound — a weight
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. land — a country
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. land — to come down
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. land — ground
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mug — a face
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a dance

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