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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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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: bulb · march · chest · pound · stand · key · wave · plane

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. chest — a box
  4. key — the most important part
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — in music
  8. stand — to bear
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. march — the month
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. march — the month
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. march — music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stand — for spectators

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