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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fork — in a road
  12. craft — boats
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. tube — a container
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. craft — a skill
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pitch — completely

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