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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · kick · stem · wind · plane · object

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. plane — a tool
  4. object — a thing
  5. stem — to come from
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. object — to protest
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. object — an aim
  15. pitch — completely
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. stem — of a plant

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