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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.

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: pitch · leaves · net · tube · march · foot · plane · fork

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. foot — a measure
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. net — for catching
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. march — the month
  8. net — after costs
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. pitch — completely
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. tube — the underground
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tube — a container
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. net — in sport
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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