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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.

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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: cell · rule · calf · plane · pitch · fork · content · pass

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pitch — completely
  4. content — happy
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. content — the amount
  15. rule — a law
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cell — in biology
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rule — government

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