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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bass — low music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rule — government
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rule — a law
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. firm — decided
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. plane — an aircraft

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