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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 124 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitch — completely
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. land — to come down
  6. plane — a tool
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rock — music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rest — a break
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. suit — in cards
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. land — a country
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rock — a stone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. land — ground
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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