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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pound — a weight
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. firm — a company
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. firm — steady
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pop — soda
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. roll — a list
  15. snap — to click
  16. rash — a series
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. firm — decided
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pop — music
  23. roll — a cake
  24. pop — to visit

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