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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: leaves · plane · bowl · can · pound · tube · fine · rash

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. can — a tin
  5. tube — a container
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. can — a tin
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. can — to be able to
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. fine — a penalty

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