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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: plane · hide · vault · wind · pitch · can · spell · field

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. spell — a short time
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wind — moving air
  9. plane — a tool
  10. field — a subject
  11. wind — moving air
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. spell — letters
  16. can — a tin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. spell — magic
  20. can — to be able to
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. hide — to keep secret

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