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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pitch — completely
  12. kick — in football
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rash — a series
  17. lean — thin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lean — to bend
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. dip — to sink

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