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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: bowl · plane · chest · cell · pitch · lean · kick · patient

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. kick — in football
  4. chest — of your body
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cell — in biology
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pitch — completely
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lean — thin
  24. bowl — to roll

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