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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — a grade
  10. saw — the tool
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. saw — the tool
  16. current — electric
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. net — in sport
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. net — for catching
  21. pound — a weight
  22. face — to confront
  23. net — after costs
  24. mark — a trace

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