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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: ruler · bat · spring · pound · plane · bowl · wound · mark

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — a coil
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wound — an injury
  17. spring — the season
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bowl — a dish

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