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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 116 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: spell · hand · pitcher · mate · cap · pound · chair · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cap — a lid
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. cap — of ice
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. spell — magic
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mate — to breed
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mate — a friend
  21. hand — help
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pound — a weight

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