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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pitch — completely
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bore — to drill
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth

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