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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bound — certain
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mate — to breed
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bound — obliged
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. hide — animal skin

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