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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. tear — from crying
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pop — soda
  11. kick — in football
  12. object — to protest
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. object — a thing
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. object — an aim
  24. pound — for dogs

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