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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 124 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lie — to recline
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. clip — for paper
  10. pitch — completely
  11. clip — a video
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fine — all right
  19. present — the time now
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. clip — to cut
  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