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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. chair — a leader
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mate — a partner
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fine — high quality
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fine — all right
  14. pitch — completely
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. swing — to play on
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. swing — music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. plane — a tool
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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