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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. plane — a tool
  3. object — to protest
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. kick — in football
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. object — a thing
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pass — a permit
  24. object — an aim

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