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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stock — shares
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — to be able to
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. can — a tin
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stock — goods

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