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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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. plane — a tool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rest — a break
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. degree — temperature
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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