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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 124 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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. toast — bread
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. field — a subject
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — from a university
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. degree — an amount
  12. field — farmland
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — to get on
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. board — a committee
  19. field — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cabinet — ministers

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