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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: squash · roll · plane · kid · pound · current · hide · can

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. can — a tin
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. current — happening now
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kid — child
  10. pound — a weight
  11. can — a tin
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. squash — the sport
  15. current — electric
  16. kid — to tease
  17. plane — a tool
  18. current — of water
  19. roll — a list
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — to be able to
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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