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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. pitch — completely
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lean — thin
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. staff — employees
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. staff — employees
  23. lean — to rest against
  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