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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 120 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 · plane · straw · fine · content · sharp · track · bowl

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. content — the amount
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. plane — a tool
  8. track — to keep track
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. fine — all right
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. sharp — clever
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pitch — completely
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. track — a path
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. content — happy
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. fine — high quality

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