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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 120 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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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: row · plane · bound · pitch · pound · race · fine · arm

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pound — a weight
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — all right
  10. row — to paddle
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitch — completely
  14. race — humankind
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. race — a contest
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — a line
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bound — certain
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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