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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a tool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pound — a weight
  8. saw — the tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a document
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — to sink
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. scale — in music

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