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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · plane · file · pitch · lash · toast · scale · spring

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spring — of water
  4. file — a line of people
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. file — a document
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitch — completely
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. suit — to fit
  13. file — a tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. spring — the season
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. spring — a coil
  20. suit — clothes
  21. plane — a tool
  22. toast — bread
  23. scale — in music
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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