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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — government
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rule — a law
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bulb — for light

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