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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. deal — to handle
  3. drill — the tool
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. plane — a tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. drill — army training
  24. spell — a short time

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