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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: rule · temple · pitch · can · jam · plane · fall · fork

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. fall — to drop
  7. can — a tin
  8. rule — a law
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rule — government
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fall — the season
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fall — to drop
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pitch — completely
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. can — to be able to
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fork — a garden 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