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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: march · pound · perch · rush · foot · plane · nail · deal

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. march — the month
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. march — the month
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. deal — to handle
  19. plane — a tool
  20. perch — the fish
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. march — music
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. deal — an agreement

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