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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 116 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: deal · last · straw · charge · bat · pitch · cabinet · plane

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitch — completely
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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