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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: pitch · plane · toast · bore · club · jam · bat · suit

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bore — to tire
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — the animal
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. club — a group
  14. pitch — completely
  15. suit — to fit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. club — for golf
  19. plane — a tool
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. suit — clothes

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