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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. spell — letters
  6. march — the month
  7. present — the time now
  8. march — the month
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. spell — magic
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — there
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. march — music
  18. spell — a short time
  19. present — a gift
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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