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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: leaves · plane · face · safe · ground · bowl · toast · pitch

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ground — a position
  5. face — part of the head
  6. ground — crushed
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. face — to confront
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ground — the earth
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. face — to point toward
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitch — completely
  22. toast — bread
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. leaves — of a tree

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