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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — letters
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spell — magic
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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