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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.

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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: stand · lean · wake · pitch · ball · plane · bulb · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. pitch — completely
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. ball — a dance
  12. roll — a list
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lean — thin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ball — a great time
  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