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

Word bank: plane · racket · bay · lie · snap · pound · foot · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lie — to recline
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pound — a weight
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. plane — a tool
  14. foot — a measure
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitch — completely
  24. snap — to click

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