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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. plane — a tool
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. game — a match
  12. branch — a division
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. foot — a measure
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. swing — to play on
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. swing — in golf
  22. game — wild animals
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitch — completely

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