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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
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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: pitch · date · charge · bulb · straw · nail · plane · patient

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bulb — for light
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. plane — a tool
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — a price
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — for light
  22. charge — in control
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. plane — in geometry

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