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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.

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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: hide · plane · content · rock · court · march · object · pound

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. object — an aim
  2. court — of a king
  3. content — the amount
  4. march — music
  5. object — a thing
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — a stone
  10. object — to protest
  11. rock — music
  12. march — the month
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. court — for sport
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. content — happy
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. court — of law
  23. march — the month
  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