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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. club — a group
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lean — to bend
  8. press — a publisher
  9. squash — the sport
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. press — to push
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lean — thin
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cue — a signal
  20. press — newspapers
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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