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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pound — a weight
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. game — a match
  9. root — the cause
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. mug — to rob
  12. game — wild animals
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. mug — a face
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mug — a cup

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