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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. cue — a signal
  5. branch — a division
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. pitch — completely
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. sharp — clever

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