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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: foot · fine · lie · pitch · plane · ruler · lean · pit

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fine — high quality
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lean — thin
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fine — all right
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lean — to bend
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lean — to rest against

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