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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. squash — the sport
  6. scale — size or range
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — final
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. swing — music
  13. scale — in music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. last — to go on
  22. squash — to crush
  23. last — finally
  24. lie — an untruth

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