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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. charge — electricity
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. plane — a tool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. charge — a price
  15. row — a line
  16. charge — in control
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pitch — completely

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