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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: roll · pound · spring · pop · plane · race · safe · current

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. current — electric
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. current — happening now
  5. spring — of water
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pop — to visit
  9. spring — the season
  10. current — of water
  11. roll — a cake
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pop — soda
  15. roll — a list
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. spring — a coil
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. plane — a tool
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pop — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. race — a contest

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