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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
468
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: leaves · key · net · plane · content · pitch · rush · fork

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. plane — a tool
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. net — for catching
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. content — the amount
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. key — in music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. key — the most important part
  18. content — happy
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. net — in sport
  24. fork — in a road

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