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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bound — certain
  4. object — a thing
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bound — obliged
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cap — a hat
  17. object — to protest
  18. cap — a lid
  19. deal — to handle
  20. object — an aim
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. deal — a big deal

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