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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: mine · date · plane · safe · wind · mouse · sharp · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. sharp — clever
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mine — for digging
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. wind — moving air
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. date — on the calendar

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