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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. present — a gift
  9. spring — the season
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spell — letters
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. spell — magic
  19. pitch — completely
  20. plane — a tool
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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