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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.

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: last · fork · pitch · scale · straw · plane · staff · pass

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. staff — employees
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pitch — completely
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. last — to go on
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. scale — in music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. staff — a stick
  20. plane — a tool
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. staff — employees

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