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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: rock · wake · march · plane · tube · dip · pass · pound

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. tube — a container
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. plane — a tool
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pass — a permit
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pound — a weight
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wake — a trail
  22. march — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. march — the month

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