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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. last — final
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. last — to go on
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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