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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.

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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: chair · lash · tube · club · plane · sharp · pitch · deal

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. club — for golf
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. club — for dancing
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. club — a group
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chair — to sit on

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