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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. tear — to rip
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. tear — from crying
  6. last — finally
  7. charge — electricity
  8. kick — in football
  9. charge — in control
  10. pitch — completely
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. charge — a price
  13. plane — a tool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rock — a stone
  16. swing — in golf
  17. last — final
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. last — to go on
  22. rock — music
  23. tear — from crying
  24. swing — music

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