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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 116 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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pitch — completely
  8. charge — electricity
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. charge — in control
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — a price
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. root — the cause
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. root — of a word
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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