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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cold — not warm
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cold — an illness
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stem — to come from
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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