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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pitch — completely
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. swing — music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wind — moving air
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rule — government
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rule — a law

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