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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · season · chest · craft · press · pitch · mate · bulb

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bulb — for light
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chest — of your body
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — a publisher
  13. chest — a box
  14. mate — a partner
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. press — newspapers
  19. craft — a skill
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. chest — of your body
  24. season — in sport

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