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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. track — a path
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — to get on
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. plane — a tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. board — a committee
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stock — goods
  22. can — a tin
  23. stock — shares
  24. track — a song

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