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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pound — a weight
  7. drill — army training
  8. cue — a hint
  9. toast — bread
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cue — a signal
  13. last — to go on
  14. drill — the tool
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. last — final
  22. craft — a skill
  23. last — finally
  24. craft — boats

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