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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. plane — a tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitch — completely
  21. face — to point toward
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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