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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: suit · plane · ground · pitcher · kick · mate · pitch · band

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ground — the earth
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. kick — in football
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. pitch — completely
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — an aircraft

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