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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. present — a gift
  11. pass — a permit
  12. present — the time now
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stand — to bear
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. present — there
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pitch — completely
  24. deal — an agreement

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