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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 · field · arm · pitcher · pass · kick · bound · present

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. present — the time now
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kick — in football
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. present — there
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. plane — a tool
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. field — for sport
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. field — a subject
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bound — tied together
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. field — farmland
  24. present — a gift

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