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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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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 · pitch · ball · present · saw · bay · arm · stick

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — there
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ball — a great time
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. present — a gift
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. arm — part of the body

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