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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: pitch · fall · plane · dip · charge · ground · toast · coach

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. ground — crushed
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ground — a position
  5. fall — to drop
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fall — the season
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. charge — in control
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. toast — bread
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. charge — a price
  24. dip — to dunk

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