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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: plane · roll · sharp · hide · cabinet · spell · pass · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. sharp — clever
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. spell — letters
  15. roll — a list
  16. spell — a short time
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — a weight
  20. spell — magic
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pass — a permit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. roll — a cake

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