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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 120 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: craft · bore · can · plane · pitch · rash · pop · lie

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pop — soda
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. can — to be able to
  12. lie — to recline
  13. plane — a tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. rash — a series
  16. craft — boats
  17. bore — to tire
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pop — music
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bore — to drill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — an untruth

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