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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.

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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: pound · stick · march · current · pass · object · plane · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. object — to protest
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. march — the month
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. object — an aim
  11. pound — a weight
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — a permit
  14. object — a thing
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. plane — a tool
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. current — of water
  21. march — the month
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. march — music
  24. pitch — a sports field

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