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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. craft — a skill
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — to fit
  8. file — a tool
  9. rest — a break
  10. shower — rain
  11. file — a line of people
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. craft — boats
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. suit — in cards
  16. file — a document
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. shower — to wash
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitch — a sports field

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