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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.

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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: can · net · mug · pitch · spell · swing · plane · rash

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. swing — music
  3. rash — a series
  4. spell — magic
  5. net — for catching
  6. mug — a face
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — in sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mug — a cup
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. net — after costs
  21. rash — hasty
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. swing — in golf

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