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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: pound · ball · lean · plane · trunk · pitch · tube · face

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pitch — completely
  3. plane — a tool
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lean — thin
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. face — to confront
  10. tube — a container
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. lean — to bend
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pound — a weight
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ball — a great time
  18. face — to point toward
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. tube — the underground
  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