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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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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: drill · plane · chest · lean · pitch · arm · cap · tube

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. chest — a box
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cap — of ice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. tube — a container
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cap — a hat
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitch — completely
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — army training
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cap — a lid
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lean — to bend

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