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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — to handle
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bass — low music
  8. pitch — completely
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bore — to drill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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