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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. net — after costs
  3. land — a country
  4. drill — army training
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. net — in sport
  7. land — ground
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — clothes
  10. firm — a company
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. net — for catching
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fall — the season
  21. drill — the tool
  22. fall — to drop
  23. land — to come down
  24. drill — a practice

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