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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: plane · dip · stick · fan · rest · hand · ball · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a dance
  8. dip — to sink
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hand — help
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. hand — in cards

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