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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rash — a series
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. can — a tin
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. can — a tin
  12. net — for catching
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. vault — a safe
  16. wind — moving air
  17. can — to be able to
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. net — in sport
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rash — hasty
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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