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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.

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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. cue — a hint
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. swing — in golf
  6. march — music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. march — the month
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cue — for pool
  14. spell — magic
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. swing — music
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spell — letters
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cue — a signal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. march — the month

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