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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: press · pitch · lash · cap · plane · sharp · rock · land

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pitch — completely
  17. land — to come down
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rock — a stone
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. lash — to lash out

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