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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 116 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: saw · pit · pitch · drill · plane · mate · firm · bat

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pit — a hole
  11. firm — a company
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. firm — decided
  17. bat — the animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. drill — army training
  22. firm — steady
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mate — a partner

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