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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: pitch · mark · bore · foot · rock · squash · plane · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. plane — a tool
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — to tire
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rock — a stone
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mark — a trace
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mark — a grade
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rock — music
  24. bore — to drill

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