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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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Word bank
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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: field · root · suit · pitch · wind · plane · kick · saw

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. field — for sport
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. field — a subject
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitch — completely
  11. kick — in football
  12. wind — moving air
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. field — farmland
  15. root — the cause
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wind — moving air
  18. plane — a tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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