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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. field — farmland
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. field — for sport
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. swing — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a dance
  14. season — of the year
  15. cap — a lid
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. field — a subject
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. plane — a tool
  23. swing — to play on
  24. season — in sport

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