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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.

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: dip · row · plane · bowl · pitch · temple · drill · charge

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. charge — in control
  5. pitch — completely
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. dip — to sink
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. row — to paddle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. drill — the tool
  17. row — a line
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. drill — army training
  24. plane — a tool

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