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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitch · mug · ground · date · march · plane · net · root

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. plane — a tool
  5. march — music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. march — the month
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. march — the month
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mug — to rob
  18. net — after costs
  19. ground — a position
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. net — for catching
  23. root — the cause
  24. net — in sport

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