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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. swing — in golf
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. plane — a tool
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. suit — in cards
  12. swing — to play on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. suit — to fit
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. prune — to trim
  19. swing — music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. snap — to click
  24. suit — clothes

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