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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. branch — a division
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rule — government
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. scale — in music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rule — a law
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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