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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. capital — money
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — to fit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stock — goods
  12. squash — to crush
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. squash — the sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stock — shares
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — in cards
  24. capital — a city

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