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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
468
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: cabinet · snap · mark · hide · coach · tube · plane · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. tube — a container
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — a grade
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — completely
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. snap — to click
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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