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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: tube · pound · rock · roll · hide · fork · plane · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. roll — a cake
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. pound — a weight
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fork — in a road
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. roll — a list
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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