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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lean — thin
  3. plane — a tool
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lean — to bend
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. toast — bread
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. foot — a measure
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pound — to hit hard

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