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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. roll — a list
  5. tube — the underground
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. tube — a container
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. roll — a cake
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fine — all right
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fine — high quality
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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