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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pound — a weight
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. last — final
  8. plane — a tool
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. net — after costs
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. coach — a trainer

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