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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · pound · plane · bore · ground · object · foot · rock

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rock — music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. object — a thing
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. object — an aim
  17. ground — a position
  18. foot — a measure
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bore — to drill
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. object — to protest

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