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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pound — a weight
  18. stock — goods
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. stock — shares
  21. plane — a tool
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. leaves — of a tree

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