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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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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: rock · plane · swing · ball · lean · chip · pit · trunk

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rock — a stone
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ball — a great time
  6. swing — to play on
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pit — in a race

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