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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: plane · chest · stick · mug · pitch · present · can · suit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. chest — a box
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mug — to rob
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a cup
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mug — a face
  13. present — there
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chest — of your body
  17. present — a gift
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chest — of your body
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. present — the time now
  22. suit — to fit
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. can — a tin

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