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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.

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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: rest · mark · deal · calf · wake · sharp · pitch · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wake — a trail
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. deal — to handle
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pitch — completely

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