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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 116 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: pitch · mine · rush · plane · board · bark · mug · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mug — a face
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mug — a cup
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mug — to rob
  19. board — a committee
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cap — of ice
  22. board — to get on
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rush — hurry

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