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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: plane · mine · tube · pitch · degree · nail · club · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. tube — the underground
  4. degree — an amount
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — for digging
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. degree — from a university
  11. tube — a container
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. can — to be able to
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. degree — temperature
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. plane — a tool

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