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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pop — music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pop — soda
  12. spring — of water
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. spring — the season
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. spring — a coil
  18. pound — a weight
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pop — to visit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. game — wild animals
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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