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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rule — a law
  5. plane — a tool
  6. firm — decided
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. current — of water
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. current — happening now
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mate — a partner
  19. firm — a company
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — government
  22. firm — steady
  23. lean — thin
  24. current — electric

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