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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: pitch · clip · bass · deal · key · mark · face · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. key — for a lock
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — completely
  10. face — to point toward
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mark — a grade
  13. key — in music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. clip — a video
  16. mark — a trace
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bass — low music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. face — to confront
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. clip — for paper
  24. deal — an agreement

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