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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · date · plane · can · temple · scale · lean · pitch

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitch — completely
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. scale — in music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. date — the fruit
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — size or range
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. plane — a tool

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