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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fine — all right
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fork — in a road
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. tear — from crying
  17. plane — a tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lean — thin
  24. fork — a garden tool

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