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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pitch — completely
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. land — a country
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. plane — a tool
  13. land — ground
  14. ball — a dance
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bound — certain
  19. land — to come down
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. capital — a city
  24. bound — tied together

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