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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: staff · kick · game · key · swing · spring · plane · pitch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. kick — in football
  5. spring — the season
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spring — of water
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pitch — completely
  12. staff — employees
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. key — in music
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. staff — employees
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. swing — music
  24. pitch — a sports field

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