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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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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 · stick · chair · arm · pass · plane · mate · kick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mate — to breed
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mate — a partner
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. kick — in football
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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