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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mate — a partner
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. board — a committee
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pop — to visit
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. board — to get on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. plane — a tool
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pop — music
  16. firm — decided
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. firm — steady
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mate — a friend

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