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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. charge — a price
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. object — a thing
  9. game — a match
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. season — of the year
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. game — wild animals
  18. season — in sport
  19. charge — electricity
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. charge — in control
  22. plane — a tool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. stand — on your feet

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