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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pound — a weight
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. sharp — clever
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rest — a break
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. plane — a tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. foot — a measure

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