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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bat — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. last — to go on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. ground — the earth
  13. last — final
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ground — crushed
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. last — finally
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. ground — a position

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