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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bank — of a river
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. land — to come down
  18. drill — army training
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pitch — a sports field

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