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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bound — obliged
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. track — a path
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. root — of a plant
  10. track — to keep track
  11. kid — to tease
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bound — tied together
  14. root — of a word
  15. track — a song
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. kid — child
  19. root — the cause
  20. plane — a tool
  21. vault — a safe
  22. sharp — clever
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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