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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. suit — clothes
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. spell — magic
  6. content — happy
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bound — obliged
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. spell — letters
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. content — the amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bound — certain

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