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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. snap — to click
  3. present — the time now
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. present — there
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fall — to drop
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fall — the season
  17. field — for sport
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. prune — to trim
  20. present — a gift
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fall — to drop

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