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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: bore · plane · pitch · rush · toast · bear · straw · season

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. season — in sport
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. season — of the year
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. toast — bread
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bear — the animal
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bore — to tire
  24. straw — dry grass

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