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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: calf · cold · rule · board · plane · ruler · date · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. board — a committee
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cold — an illness
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rule — government
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rule — a law
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cold — not warm
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. board — to get on
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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