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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 120 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: plane · leaves · pitch · rash · fall · bay · ground · bark

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. fall — the season
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pitch — completely
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bark — to shout
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ground — crushed
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. ground — a position
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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