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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pitch — completely
  11. last — to go on
  12. chip — to eat
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. last — finally
  22. last — final
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pass — a permit

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