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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.

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: capital · plane · hide · net · lie · pitch · charge · bay

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — a price
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — electricity
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. net — for catching
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. charge — in control
  23. lie — to recline
  24. plane — a tool

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