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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: face · pass · ground · net · row · chip · pitch · plane

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. face — to confront
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. net — in sport
  11. row — a line
  12. chip — to eat
  13. net — after costs
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitch — completely
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. face — part of the head
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. face — to point toward
  22. net — for catching
  23. ground — a position
  24. pass — to spend time

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