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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. ground — a position
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ground — the earth
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stock — shares
  21. snap — to click
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pitch — completely

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