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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. root — the cause
  10. bat — the animal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitch — completely
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. root — of a word
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lean — thin
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. lean — to bend

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