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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — in a road
  13. ground — a position
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ground — the earth
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bear — the animal
  24. date — the fruit

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