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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. season — of the year
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. season — in sport
  8. mate — a friend
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stock — shares
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stock — goods

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