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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. scale — in music
  4. pound — a weight
  5. spring — a coil
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mug — a face
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mug — a cup
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. spring — of water
  20. pit — a hole
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. plane — a tool
  24. spring — the season

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