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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: saw · row · pitch · toast · plane · pound · lean · suit

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. row — a line
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. plane — a tool
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. saw — the tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pound — a weight
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lean — to bend
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — clothes

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