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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. content — the amount
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. current — electric
  7. rock — a stone
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. kid — child
  11. current — of water
  12. rock — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bark — to shout
  15. current — happening now
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. kid — to tease
  19. board — to get on
  20. content — happy
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. plane — a tool

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