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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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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. hand — in cards
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cue — for pool
  18. present — there
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cue — a hint
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hand — part of the body

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