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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 120 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: firm · temple · bay · game · kick · plane · pitch · craft

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. game — a match
  4. firm — steady
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — decided
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. game — wild animals
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. craft — boats
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. kick — in football

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