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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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  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. fan — a supporter
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stock — shares
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wax — to grow
  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