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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. chair — a leader
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. drill — army training
  17. last — finally
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. last — final
  24. last — to go on

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