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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. swing — music
  4. pitch — completely
  5. can — a tin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mark — a grade
  9. staff — employees
  10. cell — in biology
  11. wound — an injury
  12. plane — a tool
  13. staff — a stick
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mark — a trace
  17. can — to be able to
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. staff — employees
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. can — a tin
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pitch — a sports field

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