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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. firm — steady
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — a container
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bat — for 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