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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
468
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: craft · fan · plane · pitcher · fork · board · march · pitch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. board — to get on
  5. craft — a skill
  6. march — music
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. craft — boats
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. board — a committee
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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