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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rule — a law
  8. mate — to breed
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. squash — the sport
  13. capital — money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rule — government
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mate — a partner
  19. plane — a tool
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. capital — a city
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fine — all right

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