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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.

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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: present · object · suit · board · pitch · plane · net · capital

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. object — a thing
  2. pitch — completely
  3. board — to get on
  4. net — in sport
  5. board — a committee
  6. capital — money
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. capital — a city
  9. suit — clothes
  10. present — the time now
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — to fit
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. object — to protest
  16. net — for catching
  17. suit — in cards
  18. present — a gift
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. object — an aim
  21. net — after costs
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. present — there
  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