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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. capital — money
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. plane — a tool
  13. board — a committee
  14. capital — a city
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. deal — to handle
  23. board — to get on
  24. bat — the animal

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