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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: pound · toast · nail · ball · plane · pass · racket · pop

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ball — a dance
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pop — soda
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. toast — bread
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pop — music
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pop — to visit
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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