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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: pitcher · saw · charge · march · plane · lie · pit · stand

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — in control
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. march — the month
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. pit — in a race
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. charge — a price
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stand — to bear

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