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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. current — happening now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. board — a committee
  12. current — electric
  13. squash — to crush
  14. current — of water
  15. squash — the sport
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. board — to get on
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pound — a weight
  24. plane — in geometry

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