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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — magic
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pit — a hole
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spring — of water
  18. plane — a tool
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spell — letters
  21. spring — the season
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. track — a path

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