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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pitch — completely
  5. degree — temperature
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bore — to drill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ball — a great time
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ball — a dance
  24. staff — employees

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