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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. race — a contest
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lean — thin
  9. club — for golf
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fine — high quality
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fine — all right

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