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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. field — for sport
  5. bass — the fish
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — low music
  8. field — farmland
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. field — a subject
  18. lie — to recline
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fine — all right
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lie — an untruth

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