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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. plane — a tool
  4. season — in sport
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. present — a gift
  7. rash — a series
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. present — the time now
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. toast — bread
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. season — of the year
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. present — there

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