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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 · content · coach · fork · pound · fine · plane · kick

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fine — all right
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pitch — completely
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. content — the amount
  16. pound — a weight
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. content — happy
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. kick — in football
  24. fine — high quality

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