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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. chest — a box
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. scale — in music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — a thing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chest — of your body
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. object — an aim
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. present — the time now
  18. chest — of your body
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. present — a gift
  21. object — to protest
  22. pitch — completely
  23. present — there
  24. plane — in geometry

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