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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
468
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: rest · degree · march · pitch · branch · face · plane · pitcher

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. degree — an amount
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. march — the month
  12. degree — temperature
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. march — the month
  15. degree — from a university
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rest — a break
  19. face — to confront
  20. branch — a division
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rest — what's left
  23. march — music
  24. plane — an aircraft

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