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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — clothes
  6. net — for catching
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. squash — to crush
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. suit — in cards
  15. net — after costs
  16. squash — the sport
  17. march — music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. net — in sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. march — the month

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