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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: rock · present · pound · file · land · plane · bay · net

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. present — a gift
  5. land — a country
  6. file — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rock — a stone
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. rock — music
  18. land — to come down
  19. file — a document
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. net — after costs
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. land — ground

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