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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pit — in a race
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. last — to go on
  6. board — to get on
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. board — a committee
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. last — finally
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — a tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pound — a weight
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. board — a flat piece

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