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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fork — in a road
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. staff — a stick
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pound — a weight
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a football final

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