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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. land — ground
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fine — high quality
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. plane — a 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