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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: key · rest · wake · fall · pitch · cabinet · temple · plane

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fall — the season
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. key — in music
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pitch — completely
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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