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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. key — in music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a great time
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. dip — to sink
  9. ball — a dance
  10. row — to paddle
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. row — a line
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. plane — a tool
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. row — a quarrel

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