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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. plane — a tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. suit — in cards
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rest — what's left
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rest — a break
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. deal — to handle

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