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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · cap · plane · pop · pound · cell · mark · ball

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. board — a committee
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cap — a hat
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pound — a weight
  20. board — to get on
  21. pop — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pound — to hit hard

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