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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: ground · plane · pound · deal · present · safe · track · saw

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. track — to keep track
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — a gift
  6. track — a song
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ground — a position
  9. saw — the tool
  10. present — there
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. present — the time now
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. plane — a tool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pound — a weight
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. ground — the earth
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. track — a path
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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