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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.

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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: present · lean · firm · bore · tube · land · pitcher · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. land — ground
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lean — to bend
  9. plane — a tool
  10. present — a gift
  11. firm — decided
  12. present — the time now
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. present — there
  15. lean — thin
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. bore — to tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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