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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: suit · wake · pitch · plane · content · present · degree · season

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. present — the time now
  4. degree — temperature
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wake — a trail
  8. content — happy
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. present — a gift
  13. degree — an amount
  14. season — of the year
  15. degree — from a university
  16. plane — a tool
  17. present — there
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. season — 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