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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. plane — a tool
  4. craft — boats
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rule — government
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lean — thin
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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