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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. swing — music
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fork — a garden 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