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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 120 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: pitch · can · swing · degree · lash · charge · plane · present

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. degree — an amount
  3. degree — from a university
  4. present — a gift
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. swing — music
  7. charge — in control
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. present — the time now
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pitch — completely
  13. charge — a price
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. present — there
  17. swing — in golf
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. degree — temperature
  24. plane — in geometry

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